By Claudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer 
Seeds and blossoms of the Red Nickle (Ormosia Jamaicensis) tree, an endemic plant to the Dolphin Head Mountains in Hanover. - Photo By Claudia Gardner
LUCEA, Hanover:
Today on International Biodiversity Day, Farmers Weekly presents the final in a four part series in recognition of the occasion being observed under the theme: 'Biodiversity: Food, Water and Health for all.'
JAMAICA'S BIODIVERSITY has been under grave threat for decades from three main factors - slash and burn activities in forests, mono-cropping and forest fragmentation, according to Paula Hurlock, executive director of the Dolphin Head Trust.
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety of organisms and their habitats in an environment.
"The greatest threat to biodiversity is the clear cutting of trees as after the lush vegetation of a forest is removed, the area rarely recovers," Ms. Hurlock, told Farmers Weekly, noting that this was often the result of human actions to develop land for agriculture, grazing livestock, industry, and habitation.
And she said that forest fragmentation was a concern because in the events where farmers clear scattered plots for farming, certain organisms on the ground found it difficult to travel across the bare areas to mate and based on their lifespan they may die before being able to reproduce, hence a gradual elimination of that specie of organism.
Farmers, she said, can help in the preservation of Jamaica's biodiversity by practising agricultural soil management methods. "They can refrain from destroying trees in virgin lands for farming; this is very crucial."
She said that other effective methods included the planting of alternate crops between the main agricultural crops on a farm.
The Dolphin Head Trust is a non-governmental organisation mandated to protect the Dolphin Head Mountains.
Contributed The Natural History Division of the Institute of Jamaica, to this story.
Farmers Weekly thanks all the individuals and organisations who participated in 'Biodiversity and you'. 'Parish Pilot', our feature on Parish Managers of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority resumes next week.
